The American Postal system does have a reputation and it’s not always the best one. Sure, there are people out there with no issues with their mailmen, as well as people who hate the system and would use any other alternative instead.
Maybe you ask yourself what it’s like to work in there. Perhaps you want a deeper insight into the job. Why is UPSP so terrible? There are so many questions that most people have no answers to.
Whether it’s your curiosity or you want to find out more about it, here are some of the best books about American Postal system.
What Are The Top Books on USPS? (History, Memoirs & Personal Perspective)
Personality and Distribution Center, by Ronald Williams Jr. (2021)
If you’ve ever wondered why the service is so bad, this book will answer most of your questions. Written from a personal perspective and point of view, it underlines the minuses and drawbacks associated with the American postal system.
To most of us, it’s all about the money, right? They always say there are financial issues and money related problems. But explaining a distribution center job to someone else can be a nightmare because unless they’re directly involved, most people won’t get it.
The author explains other drawbacks as well, which are common in other environments too. From poor leadership to consistent ignorance and disrespect towards colleagues, he defines why exactly the American postal system is such a nightmare and not just for customers, but for employees as well.
It’s a dysfunctional climate, no doubt about it. Discover the less known problems of the system, as well as a few solutions. Again, this isn’t just about the American postal system, I found similar problems pretty much everywhere I worked in the past. It’s a culture and we need to change it before it’s too late.
How the Post Office Created America, by Winifred Gallagher (2017)
The history of the USA may not be as long as the history of other countries, but there are quite a few things that have defined it better than anything else.
And no matter how funny you may find it, the postal system is one of these things. This is one of the best books about American postal system because it describes how the system managed to grow, mainly thanks to women and African-Americans.
The book goes back to its origins and traces all the major events, as well as its leaders overtime. The story also defines how the system was reshaped by various events throughout the world, such as the Declaration of Independence or even the evolution of Internet.
This isn’t a technical book. It’s not about rules, regulations, things that have changed the system and how it works. Sure, you’ll get a deeper insight into it, but more importantly, it’s a story of life, the life of everyone who contributed to its growth.
To be honest with you, I do think this system has a lot of mishaps and there’s certainly room for improvement, but this book describes the good things about it, as well as its culture and history. It’s a good book for everyone and not just for those interested or working in the system.
There's Always Work at the Post Office, by Philip F. Rubio (2010)
I think they could make a pretty good movie after this book. It’s a realistic book based on real events. It defines history, as well as the influence of African-Americans over the American postal office. Not only did they help shape the system, but they’ve also played a significant role in the black freedom idea.
There’s no fiction in this book. The author is a former postal worker, but also a historian. Based on events that took place in Washington, D.C. and New York City, the book examines the postal office throughout its evolution.
It’s a book that describes how the system was altered by different unions fighting for different things, as well as social changes. After all, the civil rights unionism is believed to have started at the post office.
Then, the author goes through the nationwide strike triggered by the post office in 1970, which brought in even more rights for workers. The system was forced to reinvent itself and a new entity came to life in 1971, the U.S. Postal Service.
It doesn’t have a long history and like I said, I think there’s plenty of room for improvement. Why is UPS so terrible? Because it’s still reshaping itself. But at the end of the day, it was one of the first institutions to hire African-Americans and their influence is still visible today.
Bottom line, this isn’t one of those books about American postal system that describes the system, but a book about people and social culture within the organization.
The Postal Service Guide To US Stamps, by United States Postal Service (2003)
Who knew the American postal system writes books? Exactly, I thought it’s a bit funny, but then, it’s a book about stamps, their history and collections. Since I’m a big stamp collector, I couldn’t miss going through this masterpiece.
Now, I believe we’ve all had this hobby at some point. To me, it was my father. He’s always had a passion for stamps, so he tried to make me love them. As a kid, it was nice buying stamp collections every now and then to complete glossaries, but the hobby faded away.
As a grownup, I’ve started loving it again.
This guide will give you a brief history about the stamp system in the USA, but it will also introduce you to all the collections released by the system, as well as their meanings. You’ll find common stamps, as well as ultra rare old stamps.
There’s one issue with it though. It gets updated almost yearly, so chances are you won’t find much about today’s stamps. I recommend getting the newest collection. After all, there aren’t too many people caring about new stamps in use. Most of us like the idea of old collectibles, right?
All in all, if you’re into stamps or you had this hobby before, this book shouldn’t miss from your collection.
Paper Trails, by Cameron Blevins (2021)
To most people, finding interest in books about American postal system is impossible. But trust me, these books are suitable for everyone. This one is both a social book and a history book.
Fun fact! Back in the 19th century, there were five times more post offices in the country than there are McDonald’s restaurants these days. Back then, the USA had the most expensive national post system in the entire world.
It wasn’t just a post office system, but a movement that reshaped the country.
According to the author’s point of view, the post office system is responsible for two of the biggest movements in the American history. One of them is the western expansion and the other one is the expansion of state power.
As the British took the country over, they relied on the post office for communication. Newspapers, magazines, letters and so on. They needed to be connected to the rest of the world somehow and the post office seemed like a brilliant idea.
The post office expanded like no other, reaching more than 100,000 offices at some point. This book is not just a book of history, but it also brings in some maps of the system. It explains how it grew from local deliveries to nationwide deliveries using trucks.
Today, it’s considered a force in the USA. But before getting there, it does pay off understanding what made it grew so fast and how it expanded overtime. It’s an interesting release with countless facts that most people don’t know.
Spreading the News, by Richard R. John (1995)
This is one of those books about American postal system that underline its significance in the communication revolution. Established in 1775, the system was the only way to communicate until the electric telegraph was introduce in 1844.
Richard R. John tells the story of this revolution, as well as the challenges it brought in, especially for the political and business sectors. A few hundred years ago, no other system had the capability to transmit so much information over such a short period of time.
Everything was about being rapid. Things moved fast and stagecoaches were synonymous with speed. As a result, the social culture adopted information intensive institutions at a much faster rate. Everyone was affected in one way or another, from rich to poor.
Unfortunately, the system has often been overlooked, especially in American history books. This is why the book aims to bring light into one of the most distinctive systems in the American culture these days.
Final words
These are probably the best books about American Postal System. Like I said it clearly, these books aren’t written for postal workers. They’re for everyone who likes history, interesting facts about the local culture and the growth of one of the most prominent systems in the world today.
Trust me, whether or not you’re interested in the USPS, you’ll love a few good lessons of history.
If you are looking for honest and personal stories check out our selection of best memoirs.
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